Chukar partridge hunters have their work cut out for them

As the pickup slides to a halt successful a distant country of Elko County, I can’t assistance but chuckle. There successful the dusty unreality kicked up by the truck’s tires is simply a gathering of critters strolling casually on their way. It is evident they bash not attraction that I person determination other to be.

The gathering is the largest covey of chukar partridge I person ever seen. The birds agelong from 1 broadside of the ungraded roadworthy to the different and into the distance, wherever a tiny watercourse of h2o runs on the ungraded road.

A autochthonal of the Middle East, the chukar partridge was introduced by the Nevada Fish and Game Commission successful 1935 and recovered Nevada’s rugged scenery to its liking. After the state’s archetypal hunting play successful 1947, chukar rapidly took their spot arsenic the state’s astir fashionable crippled bird.

Due to ongoing drought conditions, it is improbable that hunters volition find road-blocking coveys erstwhile Nevada’s chukar play opens statewide connected Oct. 9, but Elko County is inactive worthy considering arsenic an opening time destination. According to results of yearly brood surveys by the Nevada Department of Wildlife, portions of Elko County “should supply immoderate bully chukar hunting this autumn and winter.”

The mean brood number successful Elko County was 4.9 chicks per adult, with the highest counts of 5.7 and 6.1 seen successful the Bruneau River country and the Snowstorm Mountains.

If you are looking for destinations adjacent to the municipality environs of Las Vegas, these are not going to acceptable the bill. However, if you privation to get distant from the crowds, this portion of Nevada is the ticket.

Hunters who are consenting to question for wing-shooting opportunities mightiness besides see upland ranges successful Eureka and Lander counties and the westbound broadside of Pershing County.

Chukar populations successful these areas showed astatine slightest immoderate betterment implicit 2020 contempt ongoing drought conditions. Humboldt County and Washoe County whitethorn besides beryllium worthy a look.

Chukars tin besides beryllium recovered successful the mountains of cardinal Nevada and confederate Nevada, though their numbers are mostly little than those recovered successful the much bluish areas of the state.

Southern hunters tin find chukars successful the Delamar, Meadow Valley, Mormon and Spring Mountain ranges on with the Gold Butte area. Keep successful caput that owed to the extended drought conditions their numbers volition beryllium depressed, and it volition instrumentality enactment to find them.

In Utah, wherever biologists behaviour surveys with crippled cameras connected prime h2o sources, the Division of Wildlife Resources besides documented debased chick accumulation crossed the bird’s range.

“Chukar hunters tin expect to spot a below-average twelvemonth successful galore areas, with a wide southbound to northbound trend, with amended though inactive comparatively mediocre accumulation successful bluish regions of the state,” according to the Utah 2021 Chukar Partridge Update. “Although we had a mild winter, moisture has been lacking; impacting situation conditions passim the state, particularly during captious nesting and aboriginal brooding periods. Summer monsoon rains did instrumentality this twelvemonth and volition hopefully pb to improved conditions adjacent spring.”

Though chukar numbers are depressed successful some states, determination are inactive chukars connected the landscape. That means hunting accidental for those consenting to work. Hunters whitethorn person to screen much state successful their hunt than they person successful years past, but that is portion of what hunting is each about.

Looking forward, chukar and different upland crippled birds are resilient, and their populations volition rebound arsenic upwind and situation conditions improve.

Freelance writer Doug Nielsen is simply a conservation pedagogue for the Nevada Department of Wildlife. His “In the Outdoors” file is not affiliated with oregon endorsed by the NDOW. Any opinions helium states successful his file are his own. Find him connected Facebook astatine @dougwritesoutdoors. He tin beryllium reached astatine intheoutdoorslv@gmail.com